Please Call Me Noni

 How did you get your grandma name? Did you always just want to be Grandma or did you let your grandkids choose by how they said it before they could pronounce it correctly? Or did you know someone with a name that you wanted to be like? Becoming a grandma is such a glorious feeling. To get to see your children become parents is incredible. Getting to love on a wee one with all the joy and without all the responsibilities is sweet. So let me tell you how I chose my grandma name......

Noni was a friend's mom who had shed her given name and was simply Noni. She was the most kind, loving lady and just included us all as her own. Being included and having her embrace my kids weas such a gift. We lived far from my own parents so having Noni in our lives was awesome. There were doorstep dropoffs of cookies, babysitting in a pinch, and the best Italian food I have ever eaten. Noni was just a presence in our lives. Always there when we needed her after a hard day or a celebration of a toddler's milestone.

 Needless to say, I always wanted to be a Noni just like her. So when our first grandgirl was born I became Noni. There is a sign on the sand toys basket at the back of our yard that says please use Noni's park toys. It thrills me when families at our park greet me as Noni. I am still Barbara but more and more people call me Noni. Embracing families and their kiddos allows me to be Noni and carry on Eleanor's tradition of including all in her family. 

Recently I heard someone say they went by Lolli and their husband was Pop. I adore that. But I am Noni. Jenn has become Lolli and I think Dorothy is leaning toward that for her grandma name as well. However we get our grandma name it is such a sweet sound when our grands call us. What a gift to have youngsters in our lives as our own lives slow down and wrinkles begin to set in. The exhaustion of a day spent with Felix or driving grandkids to activities then playing on the floor with Millie is the best kind of exhaustion. What a blessing that in this season I get to be Noni and have others in my life and my family. 

In Him,

Joyfully Noni

3-16-22